Suppose you are working on a set of experiments using Western blotting. Using an antibody that recognizes amino sequences encoded by exon 3 of a five-exon gene, you have demonstrated that a protein is highly expressed in a particular cell line. To assess the mRNA, you design reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR) primers to exons 2 and 4, which flank exon 3. Despite all your efforts, you cannot amplify an mRNA. You know that it is indeed expressed, since the protein is detectable. You also know that your controls are working and your experimental procedure is sound, because you are able to detect an mRNA for the other cell lines. Given what you know about the "central dogma" and gene structure, how might you explain this inability to identify the mRNA encoding this exon 3 protein?

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The Answer of Suppose you are working on a set of experiments using Western blotting. Using an antibody that recognizes amino sequences encoded by exon 3 of a five-exon gene, you have demonstrated that a protein is highly expressed in a particular cell line. To assess the mRNA, you design reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR) primers to exons 2 and 4, which flank exon 3. Despite all your efforts, you cannot amplify an mRNA. You know that it is indeed expressed, since the protein is detectable. You also know that your controls are working and your experimental procedure is sound, because you are able to detect an mRNA for the other cell lines. Given what you know about the "central dogma" and gene structure, how might you explain this inability to identify the mRNA encoding this exon 3 protein?

Suppose You Are Working on a Set of Experiments Using